Chuck vs The Wonderful Life
by nattylovesjordy
Summary: A group of friends watch a movie that gives a few of them some of them a dreams that will change their lives and relationships forever. Chuck/Sarah.
1. The Prologue

**Author's note: **Special thanks to **Billatwork **for listening to my ideas and helping me work through them as well as his suggestions. Oh, and the setting is around Christmas time, which means that it's been over a year since the pilot.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck or the movie It's A Wonderful Life_.

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**Chuck vs. The Wonderful Life: The Prologue **

It had all started out as a cold and stormy Christmas Eve in LA, the rain leaving its mark everywhere. Through the hard downpour and the blurred vision from the watery sky, various strings of Christmas lights could be spotted on people's houses. One of these houses happened to be the Bartowski residence. After all, it wouldn't be Christmas without their 200 something ornaments and decorations that Ellie took such pride in.

Not only did Ellie Bartowski take great pride in her holiday decor, but she found her annual Christmas movie nights and homemade cooking sacred traditions that should never be broken.

And that's why there was a small, but joyous group on the couch sipping hot cocoa and munching on self-decorated sugar cookies on this fine Christmas Eve.

Currently occupying the love seat were the Captain of Awesome himself and his lovely bride-to-be Ellie, who was throwing this little shindig. Sprawled out on the couch, but keeping enough to themselves, were Morgan and Anna along with Chuck and Sarah on the opposite sides of the couch.

At first, Sarah was hesitant about joining them, seeing as their cover was still just friends, but Chuck insisted. "_What's one more Christmas with them?"_ Sarah thought to herself. Of course, deep down, she knew that one was too many, and two was attaching herself more and more to the family.

But it was all she wanted. Sarah wanted to spend Christmas with a family, which would be the first time in many years.

When Casey found out, he was less than thrilled but accepted Sarah's spin on the situation about how it could rebuild their cover, which was something they were in dire need of, but mostly just because Sarah longed to have an excuse for spending time with Chuck.

Devon, Ellie, Morgan and Anna all seemed to be taking great interest in the movie they were currently watching, but the story was different for Chuck and Sarah. They were both tired from a last minute mission earlier that evening. So, while the other four enjoyed watching _It's a Wonderful Life_, Sarah and Chuck struggled to keep their eyes open from their warm and comfortable spot on the couch.

Chuck was resting the side of his body on the armrest of the couch, his legs resting on the coffee table, and Sarah was leaning her body onto his, her head fitting perfectly on his shoulder.

With the mixture of warmth, cocoa, Christmas cheer and the comfort with each other, Chuck and Sarah slowly, but surely, descended into sleep toward the middle of the movie without being noticed, their arms wrapped around each other under the safety of the blanket.

Not far into their deep sleep, they dream up their own twisted version of the movie that they were previously watching.

_This is the story of how those separate dreams would change their relationship, and their lives, forever._

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_**A/N:** Next chapter coming soon. In the meantime, why don't you R&R?!_


	2. Chuck's Dream

**Author's note:** I hope this chapter isn't confusing! This whole thing is a dream. The conversation with 'Koah' is part of that dream. In case it makes no sense to you, Chuck wished, while sleeping, that he never had the Intersect. So, an angel appears to him and shows Chuck what his life would be like without it. Many of the things that Chuck has done (with the Intersect) now doesn't. Hope that helped even in the slightest bit!

_Disclaimer: I don't own _Chuck_ or the dialogue between Chuck and Morgan, but I do own Koah! Whooo!_

_Special thanks to **IB** (aka **Billatwork**) for helping me out as well as **Kayla** for support! And **Pancakes** for answering a question for me! Thanks guys!_

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**Chuck vs. the Wonderful Life: Chapter Two: Chuck's Dream**

_As he slept, Chuck wished that he never had received the Intersect, leading him to dream..._

"Hello, Chuck." Someone said from behind me. I ignored the unknown voice and continued playing my video game.

"Chuck." It said again. From the sound of it, I could tell that it was a guy. Turning around, my guess was right, except he was not a regular guy.

He was an angel; wings, white robe and all.

"Uh... Yeah?" I ask, nervous. "Wh-Who are you?"

"I'm Koah. I have something to show you." Suddenly the dull room that I was in was whisked away in a whirlwind and quickly replaced with my darkened bedroom. On the bed was a sleeping, dream-form of me.

"You wished you didn't have the Intersect, correct?" Koah asks.

Slowly, I nod my head and he continues.

"I'm here to give you this Intersect-free life."

I can't believe what I'm hearing. A life without the Intersect? I'm ecstatic.

But then he adds, "I'm here to show you what your life would be like when it comes true, starting with the day after your 27th birthday party. Then, you can decide."

"Decide what?"

But I don't get an answer because right after I ask, there's movement in the room.

I watch as I (the dream version of me) sit up in my bed, and Morgan runs into my room.

"Chuck, Chuck!" He screamed as he opened the door as loud as he possibly could. "Dude, dude!" He seemed to have a need to repeat everything twice.

"Morgan, quiet." Dream-me requested.

Clearly not paying attention to the request, he continued in his booming voice. "You okay?"

"Did you spike the punch?" "I" asked as I cautiously rose out of bed.

"Something goes wrong, you blame me. After all these years, where's the trust?" Laughed Morgan. "Yes I did."

Then, the dream zooms forward to show me and Morgan, with Morgan behind the wheel, stuck in traffic on the I-5. To myself, I laugh knowing that if I had the Intersect, I'd be at work by then.

Then, it fast-forwarded to later that night when a large portion of a hotel that General Stanfield, the NATO guy, was speaking in exploded by a bomb that was planted by a Serbian demolitions expert.

When I saw this happen from my viewing position, I felt this random pang of guilt pulse through my stomach. I knew that this was all my fault for asking to rid of the Intersect.

At the time Ellie, who was sitting in the room with dream-me at the time, noticed my crumpled nose and my puffed cheeks and said, "Try not to puke on the couch."

Suddenly, my life fast-forwarded two months ahead.

Two months later found me still not over Jill and on a blind double date with Ellie, the Captain and one of their doctor friends.

After the more than awkward meal, I watched the four of us head outside where Samantha and I stood there awkwardly as Ellie and Awesome shared a moment.

Almost immediately after Awesome went to retrieve the car, a man stumbled down the sidewalk and collapsed, Ellie soon at his side. She followed him into the ambulance and attempted to take care of him at the hospital.

At this point, I didn't even need to watch on; I already knew what was going to happen.

The next day, she was poisoned by a cop and taken to the hospital where they attempted to treat her of some unknown and incurable toxin.

That night, Ellie, my beloved older sister, died because of all her organs rapidly and uncontrollably shutting down.

I watched on as dream-me sat in the dark room with her cold body saying goodbye.

I personally felt the same guilt as I did when I saw the hotel blow up. I knew that if I hadn't wished for the Intersect to be gone, none of this would be happening.

Looking over at the other side of the bed, I saw Devon holding onto Ellie's JJ Bean sweater and sobbing for his loss. He'd lost a girlfriend, someone who he, I'm sure, wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

He lost a loved one. Just as I had.

I didn't know what to do. The sound of Devon's sobs filled the room.

I wanted out.

I watched my life go down a spiral. I had turned into the one man I promised myself I'd never turn into; my father.

I drank many beers a day, fell asleep on my cut up couch and had no love life whatsoever. Even Morgan couldn't take how depressed I'd become, leaving me in the world with nobody.

No best friend, no sister, and no one to love.

This was not the life I bargained for. Sure, having the Intersect may put me in constant danger, but I wouldn't be lacking a love life, my sister wouldn't have died, and I'd still have friends. I wouldn't be some dead-beat man who lies on the couch drinking into the wee-hours of the morning.

"Koah?" I asked, barely audible.

"Yes, Chuck?" He replied as he turned to face me. I could feel the hot tears rolling down my face, stinging my cheeks as they went along.

"Can we leave now?" I wanted to go back and change everything about my relationships. I wanted to confide in my sister more than I do now, I wanted to tell Sarah how I really feel about her, I wanted to start hanging out with Morgan more so he didn't have to feel like a friend left in the dust.

"I have one more thing I want to show you."

Just as the time before, the scenery changed. This time, we weren't in my room or the apartment, but we were in some sort of facility. It was a spacious white room with white walls and a white floor and ceiling. In the middle of this large room was a white bed with white blankets and pillows and underneath these blankets was a person.

A woman, actually. A woman with long blond hair that blended in with the whiteness surrounding her. Her face and skin was pale; she was clearly sick. And then it hit me. This woman is Sarah.

"Sarah!" I call out, hoping to wake her. "Sar-ah!"

"It'll do you no good." said Koah. I look over him and he confirms all my fears.

Falling to the ground of wherever I really am, I start sobbing. Sobbing from this mistake I've made, sobbing from what I've done.

More than ever in my entire time with the Intersect, I need it the most at this very moment. Because with it, I am reassured that these things won't happen.

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_Next Chapter: Sarah's dream..._


	3. Sarah's Dream

**_Author's Note: _**_So, this chapter is a bit unlike Chuck's dream. Instead of just watching it all play out and happen, Sarah's life actually changes. But, rest assured, everything that goes on in this chapter is just her dream and doesn't actually happen. Hope that made it any less confusing!_  
_**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Chuck.  
_**Warning:** There's, for some odd unknown reason, an unreasonable amount of cursing. I apologize in advance for that. (I rarely curse, and I never use those words!)_

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**Chuck vs. the Wonderful Life: Chapter Three: Sarah's Dream**

_As she slept, Sarah wished that Chuck could rid of the Intersect, leading her to dream..._

"Sarah." A woman with a eerie yet mellifluous voice called out. The agent in me was prepared to jump into full-on agent mode, knife in hand, because someone snuck up on her, but the woman in me was simply curious.

"Yes." I replied, questioning what she wanted. Oddly, my back stayed turned to her. Apparently, she noticed my lack of physical response and came in front of me.

She was an angel, wings and all.

"I'm here to give you a new life."

"How?"

"You wish that Chuck didn't have to keep living in danger with the Intersect, correct?"

"Yeah." I answered, sounding almost uncertain.

"Very well then." She replied and then pointed her manicured hands to the sky. "Look into my eyes."

"What's going to happen to me?" I asked, not keeping eye contact.

"I'm going to give you that life."

"Oh." I say as I stare at her eyes. Her eyes are a remarkably emerald green with touches of gold. Her eyes glowed like a jewel does under a bright light. Her skin was pale and light, giving off that same sort of glow.

Suddenly, a flash of light takes over the room, knocking me into a semi-unconscious state...

"Sarah." A male voice calls out. "Sarah." Rolling over on my side, I successfully bring the pillow over my head to block out the bright sun rays.

"Hmm..." I groan, displeased.

"It's time for you to wake up." _Wait a second, _I think to myself. _I know that voice. That voice belongs to..._

"Go away, Bryce." _Bryce Larkin. Bryce-Fuckin'-Larkin. Why is that bastard waking me up so damn early in the morning?_

"Sarah, we have work to do." _Oh yeah, that's why._

"Go. Away." I warn him as I slap him on the face without looking. From the sound of the crack upon the impact, I can tell that I've actually injured him. Taking the pillow off of my face, I sit up and look at him.

Bryce, being quite the man, is ignoring the bright red welt that is swelling up below his eye. _Oops._

"Look, Sarah," he spat out, the venom highly concentrated upon the ejection of my name. "This isn't my fault, so you really need to get it together and stop blaming me."

"Blaming you for what? Sending Chuck the Intersect and ruining his life? For pulling me in on this assignment with you? If it weren't for _you_, I'd still be with Chuck!" I yell, jumping up from the bed.

"Sarah, you know that wasn't my fault! You and I both know that Chuck isn't cut out for this type of world. Getting the Intersect out of his brain was the best thing that could have happened for him!"

"No, Bryce, it wasn't."

"Then what would've been, Sarah. Huh? What would've been the best thing for him."

"Me not getting pulled away from him!"

"It was inevitable!" Bryce yelled back.

"No, it wasn't. Had you not convinced Graham that I really wanted this assignment with you, I could have the ability to stay with Chuck."

"What, it's not like you love _him._ You and I both know that that shit needed to be blown up."

"You're a piece of shit, Bryce. Go to hell." I enunciate, hotly, as I storm to the door.

"No." Bryce dictates as he blocks my pathway to the door. Stepping backwards, he makes it there first and locks all the locks.

"Asshole." I mutter before he starts his rant on how it's important for our covers for me to be here today.

After the happenings of today I can go on ahead and take it up with Graham, but before that can happen, I have to go meet with some Fulcrum agents.

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"Don't do it, Bryce!" I yell as I fall to the hard concrete floor. This meeting was a set up. Not only is Bryce-the-bitch Fulcrum, but he and his Fulcrum buddies decided to have some target practice in the middle of our "meeting" with me being the target.

"You and Chuck were on to us from the beginning. I'm sorry but I can't risk you getting out and telling."

"Are you shitting me right now, Bryce? We always saw you as the reliable Fulcrum source!"

When I look up from the ground, I'm met by Bryce and his stone-cold-killer eyes. Usually, they're a light blue that has a natural ice to them, but now they're black, the pupal filling the whole eye area.

Suddenly, I hear a shot ring out.

"Too late." He scoffs and walks away with his steaming gun. That's when the pain hits me. In my abdomen, I can feel the bullet and the blood rushing out of my body, staining my shirt.

Putting aside the pain, I delicately stand up from my lying position and pursue him. I see him throw the door to the warehouse open, leading out into a rough parking lot.

"Turn around, bitch!" I yell as I hold up my gun. Before he gets the chance to pull his up, I shoot him square in the chest. I watch on as the blood from his chest mixes in with the grainy gravel in victory.

Suddenly, all of the adrenaline that was previously in me was quickly drained out, causing me to collapse to the ground.

Laying there, holding my abdomen to try and stop the bleeding, I think of how I never thought it'd turn out this way. When I heard that Chuck was getting rid of the Intersect, I never even though that I'd be pulled away from him. I always figured that I'd make a stand so I could stay with him. But Bryce changed all that.

Right before I fade out of consciousness, not knowing if I'll make it or not, a mental glimpse of Chuck's face zooms through my head before I finally fall.

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_Next Up: The result..._


	4. The Unhelpful Covers

_I am so sorry that took so long to get out! I was having the hardest time coming up with anything and then I got pelted with school and lacked of sleep! This is the end, but no worries, there's a bonus chapter coming! Just for a warning, it gets a bit... steamy at the end..._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck... yet..._

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**The Unhelpful Covers**

"Sarah." Chuck whispers as he rubs her arms underneath the blanket. "Sarah..." he says again, the last syllable in her name trailing out.

Chuck kept saying her name in a soft and gentle tone, but she wouldn't wake up. Her hand was clenching the bottom of his shirt and her damp face was pressed into his chest.

Giving up on the whisper, Chuck used a slight louder voice. "Sarah, wake up." Suddenly, he noticed her shaking, the tighter grip on his shirt and a seeping wetness through his shirt where her head was.

Bending his neck so he could look at her face, he saw tears coming from her eyes quite rapidly.

"Sarah! Wake up!" Suddenly, Sarah jolted up, elbowing Chuck in the gut. Squinting from the slight light in the room and the added puffiness from her tears, Sarah attempted to look Chuck in the eyes and failed.

But all that mattered was that she was back with him. Equally as sudden, she threw herself back onto his chest and sobbed as she practically broke all the bones in his body from her embrace.

Sarah didn't realize it, but Chuck too was crying even before she woke up. Both were crying for the same reason--their dreams. Both had lost each other within them. It was one of those dreams that felt so real that when you wake up, you have to take a reality check.

"It's okay, Sarah. It's okay." Chuck reassured through his tears.

By this point, they were the only ones left in the room and their position on the couch was less cramped.

"I'm sorry." She replied as she got up from their warm position on the couch.

Chuck watched it happen before her eyes; the transition from upset to stone-cold, and he wouldn't take it--not anymore.

Sarah stood with her back to Chuck and tried to regroup. Chuck figured that she was closing up, pushing him back out. Defeated, she went back to Chuck in tears.

Through her sobs, she mumbled something into his chest, but he couldn't understand her. Quietly, he asked her to repeat herself.

"I thought I lost you." She said as she pulled her head from his chest to reattempt looking him in his dark brown eyes. "I thought I lost you forever."

"I'm here, Sarah, and I'll never leave you. Ever." Sarah hugged him harder as both their tears subsided.

"I had a dream," She started, the vulnerability shining through her voice. "I had a dream that you had the Intersect taken out of your head, but then Bryce came back and took me with him. He shot me, but I couldn't let him get away from me."

Through his own ragged breathing, Chuck comforted her. "I won't ever let that happen."

"I know." She replied, still looking in his eyes.

"I too lost you. I dreamt that I never received the Intersect. Without it, I wouldn't have you."

"I don't know what I'd do." They said at the same time.

Silently covenanted, they latched onto each other, giving support to the other while receiving it simultaneously.

Being in each others arms made everything alright. It was the only place that Sarah felt safe enough to let her guard down, to be herself. It was the one place where Chuck could protect her, guarding her from the evils of the world and emotions slowly tormenting her. For Chuck, it was the one place he felt he could get to her--really get to her. Whenever he held her, he could feel her genuine care for him, and he could show his towards her. All he ever wants to do is to help lift her from the ground and to be there for her in her times of need.

If there was one position that he wished they were always in, it was the simple, sometimes silent motion of holding her until the end of their days.

Still laying down, Chuck nuzzled his face into her hair, taking in the scent as he mumbled, "I love you." and Sarah begun to calm down.

Even through her time of weakness, her spy skills kicked in and she heard his muffled whisper. She knew what she wanted to say, what she _needed_ to say, but she also knew of the consequences of it.

Her mind was racing a million miles a minute. _Should I just tell him? No. What if he hurts me, I can't take that. I'll just get hurt. I'll hurt him when I go back to being professional. I just can't do it. But I have to. He deserves to know. I... I love him. But I'm scared. What if he takes my heart and stomps on it like all of the other guys. But he won't do that; he's Chuck. But what if it doesn't work out. I-_

Chuck's voice pulled her from her trance. "Sarah?" he asked, love as thick as honey flowing through his words. "Are you alright?"

Sarah ignored the feeling of tears, the heat from her cheeks, and what her head was saying. Instead, she tapped into her heart and said what he deserved to hear; what they both deserved to hear. "I love you, Chuck Bartowski." she whispered.

Without having to take even a slight second to think, their lips sought out the others and hungrily pressed into each other. The feeling of her body pressed up on his and their tongues dancing sent shivers down Chuck's spine.

Neither of them had remembered having such an experience as that and was later marked as a life defying moment.

Discreetly, Chuck pulled the blanket over their heads, creating a special haven of their own as well as a cover just in case Morgan decided to make a very impromptu visit. The only visible part of them were their feet, their toes tapping.

Coming for a glass of water, Ellie walked into the kitchen and heard some unusual sounds from the living room. Curious, she investigated.

"Chuck? Sarah?" She called, looking at their blanket covered bodies, but not noticing any movement. Not thinking much of it, she pulled the blanket from over them and her eyes went wide in shock. "OH, oh! Sorry!" she babbled as she quickly exited the room, her glass of water coming threateningly close to spilling.

Embarrassed, the two untangled themselves and sat upright on the couch, keeping to themselves.

Finally gathering enough courage to talk, Chuck broke the silence. "I... Sorry about that. The-the Ellie thing, not the actual..."

Stifling a laugh, Sarah stood up and extended her hand to Chuck. "Come on, Chuck."

"Uh Sarah? Where are we going?" he questioned as she pulled him up and they walked towards his room.

Sarah sat him on the bed and double checked the lock on the door and window. "You owe me."

"For what?"

Sarah straddled him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "For stopping."


End file.
